File photo
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | FEB. 26-MARCH 4, 2021
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A Flushing man who violently
shoved a 52-year-old
Asian woman to the ground
and sent her to the hospital
on Tuesday, Feb. 16, has
been arrested and charged
with assault and harassment,
according to the 109th Precinct.
Chief of Detectives Rodney
Harrison commended
the 109th Precinct Detective
Squad for quickly identifying
and apprehending Patrick
Mateo, 47, who allegedly
engaged in a verbal dispute
with the woman outside of
a Flushing bakery at 135-45
Roosevelt Ave.
Police were seeking the
public’s help in identifying
Mateo, who he pushed the
woman onto the ground,
causing her to hit her head
against an object, according
to police.
The woman, police say,
sustained minor injuries and
was transported by EMS to
Booth Memorial Hospital in
stable condition. Following
the incident, Mateo had fled
the location in an unknown
direction, police said.
Meanwhile, the victim’s
daughter, Maggie Cheng,
took to social media on Tuesday,
posting an image of Mateo
and a description of the
attack on Twitter and Instagram.
“Hate crime has no place
in our community. Please
repost and HMU if you know
who this is,” Cheng wrote.
Later, Chen posted a surveillance
video of the incident
and asked for the public’s
help in identifying the
attacker.
“I am literally heartbroken.
Look at this surveillance
video of this guy attacking
my mom,” Cheng wrote.
“Like why bro? She’s vulnerable
and aging. Why?!”
According to Chen, her
mother had received five to
10 stitches on her head and is
doing well.
Chen’s friend, actress Olivia
Munn, had also called
for justice as she shared the
image on Twitter, hoping to
track down Mateo.
“My friend’s mom is a
5’3” 50+ Chinese woman and
she was attacked by this guy
in Flushing, NY yesterday
on Main St and Roosevelt
between 2-4pm. She left the
hospital with 10 stitches in
her head. We’re gonna find
this guy. Queens, Internet,
please… do your shit,” Munn
wrote.
The attack on Cheng’s
mother occurred on the same
day two other Asian women
were attacked in separate incidents
in New York.
The rise of anti-Asian attacks
has prompted local
elected officials, such as Congresswoman
Grace Meng and
Councilman Peter Koo, to denounce
the crimes. Both lawmakers
had shared the 109th
Precinct’s images and video
of the incident.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
In a concerted effort to
mitigate helicopter noise
across the city’s skies, Councilman
Paul Vallone chaired a
hearing of the New York City
Council Committee on Economic
Development, during
which he introduced several
new pieces of legislation.
Known as Intro 2026 and
Intro 2027, the bills aim to
reduce helicopter noise from
the city’s charter helicopter
industry by creating a quieter,
greener fleet. Under the
legislation, newer technology
would be implemented at cityowned
helipads, the city would
be required to study electric
powered takeoff and landing
vehicles and more data would
be collected on helicopter
safety, route information and
flight patterns.
Attendees heard testimony
from New York City’s Economic
Development Corporation,
the Department of Citywide
Administrative Services,
Blade Urban Air Mobility and
industry advocates.
Although helicopter noise
has been a persistent issue
for years, the pandemic has
highlighted the issue for New
Yorkers, who are now spending
much more time at home.
A report from THE CITY
showed that helicopter noise
complaints to 311 increased
130 percent from 2019 to 2020.
Vallone’s Intro 2026 would
ensure that all helicopters in
the city’s skies would be Stage
3, the highest standard for
quiet helicopters. In 2014, the
Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) introduced the
Stage 3 helicopter. Since then,
only one model of the Stage 3
has been used in the city.
“Helicopter noise is a persistent,
aggravating issue for
so many residents in our city,”
said Vallone. “311 complaints
surged more than 130 percent
over the past year and we must
do more to get it under control
using the tools we have at our
disposal. We must lower noise
emissions in our sky’s and
these bills take appropriate
steps towards helping New
York City residents.”
Congressman Tom Suozzi,
co-chair of the Quiet Skies
Caucus, praised the legislation
as a step toward progress
but said that “more needs to
be done.”
“I became co-chair of the
Quiet Skies Caucus to help
alleviate the incessant noise
from low flying helicopters
that my constituents in northeast
Queens and residents
throughout the borough
have endured for years,” said
Suozzi. “I fully support Council
Member Vallone on his
ongoing efforts to reduce helicopter
noise, thereby improving
the quality of life for the
residents of Queens.”
In tandem with this legislation,
organizations within the
helicopter and aviation industry
have been working on new
technologies to reduce noise
and air pollution associated
with urban aircraft usage.
According to Blade CEO Rod
Wiesenthal the company is
hoping to “facilitate and accelerate”
the widespread usage of
electric helicopters by 2025.
Under Intro 2027, the city
would be required to research
how to incorporate electric
vertical take-off and landing
(eVTOL), once it’s available,
to reduce municipal aircraft’s
negative impact on people and
the environment. According
to NYC’s Chief Fleet Officer
Keith Kerman, eVTOL “holds
the promise of zero emissions
and low noise aviation units,”
a vast improvement from the
185,000 gallons of jet fuel the
city currently uses.
“Advances in electric battery
capacity and density will
be critical to the successful introduction
of these options,”
said Kerman.
Grassroots nonprofit organization
Stop the Chop, which
advocates for a ban on all
nonessential helicopters over
New York, praised Vallone’s
legislation as an essential
first step.
“The introduction of this
legislation is an excellent first
step. We applaud all our local
and federal elected officials
working to regulate this industry
that degrades the quality
of life for millions in the
New York Metro area, increases
the level of carbon emissions
in our environment, and
caters to a privileged few at
the expense of everyday New
Yorkers,” said the nonprofit.
Photo via @NYPD109Pct/Twitter
Police cuff alleged
Flushing assailant
Legislation would help mitigate
helicopter noise in NE Queens
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